Langston Hughes
The recording career of this great American writer includes not only his own spoken word collections for Smithsonian-Folkways, but many instances where his texts are utilized by other artists, sometimes in direct collaboration with Hughes, and at other times after the fact. While heavily associated with Black jazz and blues, the writings of Hughes have not shown up exclusively in these genres. Rather, if there is a similarity in the type of performers incorporating Hughes' writing, it would be those expressing discontent with the racial and political status quo. The beatnik scene of the '50s and '60s was a topical time for Hughes, but the appearance of his writings as part of recording projects is hardly limited to these years.
During the '70s, the Gary Bartz NTU Troop -- a modern jazz combo that didn't hesitate to take on political topics -- recorded a beautiful live version of "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," Hughes' first published poem, presenting the version with music under the name of "I've Known Rivers." Singer Big Miller tracked 11 blues tunes written specifically for him by Hughes on a late-'50s album Did You Ever Hear the Blues? The German Caspar Brötzmann used texts by Hughes on a 1993 recording, sonically a great contrast to better-known adaptations by performers such as Joan Baez and Harry Belafonte.
Hughes began writing poetry in the eighth grade and, despite the acceptance of his efforts from classmates and teachers, was pushed in the direction of an engineering degree by his parents. Hughes did well in the latter studies at Columbia University, nonetheless dropping out to follow the writing muse. He would eventually publish over 16 books of poems, two novels, three collections of short stories, four volumes of essays, 20 plays, a collection of children's poetry, several musicals and operas, three autobiographies, and many radio and television scripts and magazine articles. His house at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem was given landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission following his death from cancer in the '60s. The block itself is now called Langston Hughes Place.
© Eugene Chadbourne /TiVo
Discography
21 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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DREAMER: A PORTRAIT OF LANGSTON HUGHES
William Warfield, Maria Corley, Sandy Nordahl, Darryl Taylor, Erik Santos, Patricia Terry-Ross
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Naxos on 4 Aug 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Glory of Negro History
Literature - Released by Folkways Records on 1 Apr 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Black Verse
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Buddah - Legacy on 1 May 1969
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Thompson: Dream Variations / 6 Preludes for Piano / The Shadow of Dawn
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Albany on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Harlem in Vogue: The Poetry and Jazz of Langston Hughes
Contemporary Jazz - Released by Fingertips on 4 Jul 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Writers Of The Revolution
Langston Hughes, Margaret Danner
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by UNI - MOTOWN on 1 Jan 1970
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johnson, H.: Vocal Music (He'Ll Bring It To Pass - The Spirituals of Hall Johnson for Voice and Piano)
Anonyme, Traditional, Langston Hughes, Louise Toppin, Joseph Joubert
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Albany on 1 May 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let America Be America Again
Dance - Released by Eric D. Espada Music on 8 Mar 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Langston Hughes Reads Langston Hughes
Literature - Released by Soundmark on 18 Dec 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sterling Brown and Langston Hughes
Sterling Brown, Langston Hughes
Literature - Released by Folkways Records on 1 Jan 1952
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Dream Keeper and Other Poems of Langston Hughes
Children - Released by Folkways Records on 1 Jan 1955
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Voice of Langston Hughes
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings on 30 Jan 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Langston Hughes' Jerico-Jim Crow
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Folkways Records on 1 Jan 1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Simply Heavenly (Original London Cast Recording)
Film Soundtracks - Released by First Night Records on 28 Feb 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Berger, J.: 4 Songs / Cantico De Lo Frate Sole / 4 Chants D'Amour / Chansons De Femme / Villanescas
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Albany on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Knight: Where the Sunsets Bleed / Life Is Fine / Romance for Clarinet and Piano / Lost Luggage
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Albany on 1 May 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rhythms of the World
Children - Released by Folkways Records on 1 Jan 1955
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Poetry And Jazz Of Langston Hughes (Hd Remastered Edition, Doxy Collection)
Jazz - Released by Doxy Records on 11 Mar 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Poetry And Jazz Of Langston Hughes (Hd Remastered Edition)
Jazz - Released by Resurfaced Records on 24 Jan 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo